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POLITICO 44

Senate Democrats on Tuesday punted their oil spill response bill to next month, but the extra time doesn’t guarantee the measure will pass — far from it.

The delay virtually ensures that strategists from both parties will use the congressional recess to hone their plans, talking points and poison-pill amendments for any floor debate, all with an eye toward the midterm elections.

Majority Leader Harry Reid’s decision to pull the plug on offshore drilling is the latest blow to Democratic efforts to move energy legislation, beginning with the deaths of a sweeping climate change bill and then a scaled-down renewable energy bill.

It initially appeared that the slender offshore drilling package was a must-pass bill with political momentum, but it became evident over the past week that the Nevada Democrat lacked the votes within his own caucus to force the issue as the Republicans held firm against it.

Some Democrats and environmentalists said they are optimistic the extra time will allow them to revisit the broader renewable energy provisions they had to jettison earlier, in hopes of folding them into the drilling bill.

“It may be a good thing,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn). “Maybe we can get some support for a renewable standard and do a little more. If there’s any hope of strengthening it and adding [a renewable electricity standard], that’ll only happen if we wait until September.”

But lobbyists and staffers close to the energy bill process said that, if anything, the partisan dynamics that led Reid to pull the bill this week will only get worse the closer lawmakers come to the midterm elections.

“Reid has got to craft a very narrow bill. He’s going to have to go as narrow as possible,” said a former Senate Democratic aide now closely involved in the Hill energy debate. “Getting broader just makes it harder. He’s going to have to go as narrow as possible, given that he’s got some Democrats against the liability cap. It’s a terrible box.”

Central to the offshore drilling reform bill was a title to eliminate the $75 million liability cap on damages oil companies must pay in the case of spills and other disasters. Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska), both close allies of the oil industry, made clear they opposed that provision.

The deeply partisan atmosphere in the Senate ensured that there would be no opportunity to amend the bill with a scaled-down, compromise liability title. Reid’s staff had made clear that if the bill were to come to the floor, it would be subject only to a straight up-or-down vote.

Staffers close to the Republican leadership said that if the bill had been left open for amendments, Republicans would have hijacked the debate with amendments designed to prolong partisan arguments and revive GOP attacks on the broader Democratic energy initiatives, including cap-and-trade climate legislation. Many said Republicans’ desire to use the energy debate to put Democrats on the spot on those issues closer to elections will prevail next month as well.

“While the conventional wisdom is the Senate has to do something about the spill, the R’s are licking their chops to get on an energy bill in September and then just bring up amendment after amendment,” said a lobbyist close to the debate.

Both sides blamed the deadlock on partisan politics.

“It’s a sad day when you can’t find a handful of Republicans to support a bill ... that would hold BP accountable for the worst oil spill in history,” Reid told reporters.

“We tried jujitsu, we tried yoga, we tried everything we could to get Republicans to come along,” he added.

For their part, Republicans said Reid failed to approach the spill bill on a bipartisan basis.

“Sen. Reid is predictably blaming Republicans for standing in the way of a bill that he threw together in secret and without input from almost any other member of the Senate,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Process alone guaranteed its failure, although substance would have as well had Sen. Reid actually brought his bill up for debate or a vote.”

New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, the author of the language lifting the liability cap and the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, sounded a partisan message about the stalled bill, outlining the talking points Democratic strategists had prepared to use in August campaigns after the spill vote.

“The key question is, Whose side are you on? ... Are you on the side of Big Oil, or are you on the side of citizens in coastal communities?” Menendez said. “I hope citizens spend the month of August asking Republicans why they oppose holding BP accountable.”

Environmentalists slammed the chamber for failing to act. “It’s shameful that more than 40 senators are such slaves to Big Oil that they want taxpayers — and not BP — to be liable for cleanup costs from this disaster and future blowouts,” said Daniel Weiss, director of climate strategy at the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

“Thanks to the Senate Republican leadership, they are popping champagne corks in Big Oil offices from Houston to London,” Weiss added.

Oil industry representatives said they are indeed celebrating the death of the bill but are likewise gearing up for more fighting in the fall. “We’re glad to see that the Senate did not act on a bad bill with job-killing provisions,” said Jack Gerard, head of the American Petroleum Institute.

Readers' Comments (227)

Once again, this proves the essential uselessness of the Senate, in which the Republicans never allow anything to pass, and too many of the members are bought and paid for by special interests and lobbyists.

I think the time has come to call a constitutional convention that will abolish the Senate and make all elections publicly financed. I don't see that the Senate is doing anything useful for the country in this crisis anyway, but is just the same old corrupt millionaire's club that it always was.

Once again, this proves the essential uselessness of the Senate, in which the Republicans never allow anything to pass, and too many of the members are bought and paid for by special interests and lobbyists.

Two Dems were against it. So how is that the Republican's fault?

At least when there was a Republican in the White House the bills that came out of congress had some bipartisan support (Rs never had the majorities that the Ds have) but now with Dems having majorities in both chambers and control of the WH they can't do anything bipartisan.

Amother Failure by Harry Reid. Just what does this guy do everyday? Nothing. No amnesty No more spending No cap and trade. No socialized health care. Harry is an utter disaster. If your not a union boss, slip n fall lawyer, or unemployed why would you even consider Harry or Rory Reid. They are ultra libs who no longer can relate to average americans - maybe illegal aliens - but not US citizens.

I am so sick of this leftist whining. The Dems have controlled both houses of Congress and the Presidency for almost two years now. If they cannot get anything done it is THEIR fault and no one elses. Maybe if Obama, Reid and Pelosi were not such arrogant asses they could have done more without fostering a near revolution.

Of course the Republicans will filibuster, as they filibuster everything. They want the government to fail, and be unable to decisively act. Then they will point to the ineffectualness of the Democrats to get anything done.

God I hate the Senate, the center of American corruption. It's a ridiculous relic of revolutionary times and in no way an accurate representation of democracy. Populous states need to rise up and abolish it, the Senate basically serves as a means for Republicans and Democrats from smaller states to wield disproportionate power and funnel huge government contracts into areas where the representatives serve special interests more than the American people.

At least in the house we have a shot to create some third parties that can offer an alternative to those BP owned legislators.

Once and for all, the Republicans are not the opposition party unless the Democrats/Progressives put out a bill out so outlandish that you have to be a stupid Progressive to vote for it.

It's been the same since Obama came into office. He puts out a bill that is so bad for the American People and the country that the Republicans, in all good conscience cannot get behind it. He lied about what the Stimulus would accomplish, NOW HE BLAMES BUSH. THE HEAD MORON IN CHIEF CAN'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT.

With the Stimulis, the Healthcare bill, the Financial Regulations, its Obama's, Reid's or Pelosi's way or the highway if not then you're an obstructionist.

These liars are so good at their game that the American People bought it until they found out WHAT WAS IN THE BILL AT THE SAME TIME AS THE STUPID DEMOCRATS/PROGRESSIVES PASSED IT.

REMEMBER, PIGLOSI TELLING YOU TO SIGN THE BILL SO WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT'S IN IT? THESE PEOPLE ARE COMPLETE MORONS AND THEY TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE ALSO MORONS.

WRONG! YOU BUNCH OF STUPID RADICAL PROGRESSIVES! WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE MORE SENSE AND IN NOVEMBER WE WILL PROVE IT TO YOU BY GETTING YOUR STUPID RADICAL, AMERICA HATING, BUTTS OUT OF CONGRESS.

AND REID, YOU MISERABLE SON OF A *&^%$ - YOU BUTT IS OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course the Republicans will filibuster, as they filibuster everything. They want the government to fail, and be unable to decisively act. Then they will point to the ineffectualness of the Democrats to get anything done.

Meanwhile, the country slides further down ....

It is clear that the repubs wont do anything other than stand in the way.

Harry you are a pussilanimous prig, - blame the Republicans instead of corraling that c---nt Mary and the Alaska guy. Why don't you call them out. Once you have every Democrat vote with you, then maybe you can boo-hoo about the opposition party. Shame on you, you cowardly coward.

The Obama administration has credited its $862 billion stimulus program with pulling the economy out of the worst recession since the Great Depression. But a new report by two Republican senators argues the stimulus is riddled with wasteful projects that do not create jobs.

The report, released by Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and John McCain, R-Ariz., highlights 100 stimulus projects that they say have "questionable goals," are "being mismanaged or were poorly planned" and are even "costing jobs and hurting small businesses."

For a Republican to talk about an open and transparent process is like a serial-adulterer talking about the virtues of marital monogamy. It is quite obvious the Republicans and a couple of Democratic Senators care more about the almighty oil corporation than they do about the people along the Gulf Coast, where I live, whose livelihoods have been destroyed by oil corporation arrogance and neglect.

Obama and the Democrats in Congress have stopped the oil companies from drilling off the coast of Louisiana and basically shut down the industry. By doing this after suffering from Hurricane Katrina, the Gulf Oil Spill, the Seafood Industry, Tourism and then to shut down of the oil industry in Louisiana we are in one helluva way. We will be hard pressed for jobs in our State. This will cost the economy of our State to go to hell.

More regulations and safeguards are needed in the oil field like any other venture in business but to make thingspractically impossible for industry to progress is ridiculous. To the people that do not live in Louisiana or the Gulf States you have no clue as to what is going on down here. Mary Landrieu, a person a very seldom agree with, is finally on the right side of this proposed legislation. She knows all to good and well we can not allow the government to shut down just about our whole State. Besides Harry Reid would not know an offshore oil rig if he ran into it.

This bill was out together way to fast and the board that Obama put together has no one in the oil field business on the panel, unless he changed these people lately. When one on those passenger airliners went down and killed all aboard, would the Obama Bunch and Congress stop all passenger air travel? Well no. So why it this any different. The Exxon Valdez accident and spill didn't shut down all oil tankers in the United Sates. So why this double standard now? These people that are running this country right now had better start using the education instead of taking everything that comes form the thoughts of Obama as the golden rule. He is not that smart. He has less experience than many think.